Find Us Faithful

Death of a family member is seldom convenient, but when this event occurs … all priorities shift. Work waits. School waits. Other plans wait. Faith and family emerges as number 1 and 2 in our lives and they should be.

The following video and lyrics put it all into perspective as my son Josh and I attended my father in law’s funeral in Lake City, Florida. Rev. Walter Woodbridge was a retired pastor and prison chaplain. He was working towards becoming a hospital chaplain at the age of 80 years old and he welcomed the opportunity to be with the Savior. I am absolutely positive that the Lord has told him, “Walter, well done, my good and faithful servant.”

My husband’s family serves the Lord in some capacity as pastors, missionaries, lay leaders, etc. They all sing as well. Naturally, at his funeral, all family members would sing hymns, praise choruses, and the following Steve Green song, called “Find Us Faithful.” God’s timing and inspiration hit and I captured the first rehearsal of the song with my ipad. The file is a quicktime movie.

Dr. Jerry Woodbridge

jlwoodbridge@liberty.edu

Find Us Faithful – Steve Green

We're pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who've gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God's sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

REPEAT CHORUS

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

Why We Share Our Stories?

Why We Share Our Stories?

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."

Maya Angelou

In 2004, I lost my best friend and husband, David Woodbridge. I went into survival mode for a few years. I began to journal and record my grief moments and insights. It was a cathartic form of self-expression that allowed me to look at the experience again through new eyes and then hold against a standard: the Word of God.

"You have a unique message to deliver, a unique song to sing, a unique act of love to bestow. This message, this song, and this act of love have been entrusted exclusively to the one and only you." John Powell

After moving to Marion, Indiana, I found a group of ladies who met once a week for lunch to support each other. We all had one thing common: we were widows. This is the Young Widows Fellowship group. This is a safe group to share your hurts, frustrations, and even laughter on occasion. Some thought this type of group would be depressing for me. It has been the opposite. Vickie, Sharon and I never met each other’s husbands, but our stories of loss and after the funeral have similarities.

Whether the death of our spouse was expected or unexpected, there is pain. We were left to nurture and raise children, work full-time, and recover from our grief. We became a support system to each other, even when our friends and family could not understand. We had a common faith in the Lord that He would redeem all things.

We were there for each other through anniversaries, holidays, and special occasions. We even celebrated Valentine’s Day together. We reached out to others who became widows and offered encouragement.

"Live your life from your heart. Share from your heart. And your story will touch and heal people’s souls." Melody Beattie

After attending the Indianapolis Christian Writers Conference in 2008, I knew there was a need to share the stories of love and loss. After several rejections of the book proposal called “A Widow’s Heart”. The title was changed to “Trading My Sorrows for the Joy of the Lord”. This change resulted from 2 things: the inspiration from the upbeat tune of Darrell Evans music, “I’m Trading My Sorrows” and interviewing other widows and widowers who willingly shared their stories and journey through loss.

"Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow." Swedish Proverb

“Sorrow is like a precious treasure, shown only to friends." African Proverb

“Joy and sorrow are next door neighbors.” German Proverb

That is why we share our sorrows and trade them for joy. I would love to hear your love story.

Jerry Woodbridge

awidowsheart@gmail.com

Share Your Love Story

Dear widow and widower,


Each of you have a personal story that involves love and loss. I would like to invite you to share your love story with other widow, widowers, and those who want to support us. I ask that you use wisdom and discernment about what is shared in an online format. The sole purpose of this forum is to encourage, support, and inspire others.



"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal." ~From a headstone in Ireland


Jerry Woodbridge
awidowsheart@gmail.com

A Widows Heart Blog

Here is the link to the original A Widow's Heart blog

http://awidowsheartstory.blogspot.com/

Jerry Woodbridge
awidowsheart@gmail.com

Trading My Sorrows for the Joy of the Lord

The "A Widow's Heart blog began as a way to share what the Lord revealed to me through my personal journey of grief. The journal process made sense of my raw emotions while giving me perspective as I studied what scriptures had to say about widowhood.




The original title for the book was "A Widow's Heart" but the Lord provided other widows and widowers who shared their love stories to provide inspiration to others. Grief does not erase the love we have for our spouses, but we do not not grieve as those who have no hope. I am trading my sorrows for the joy of the Lord.





In December 2010, "Trading My Sorrows for the Joy of the Lord" was self published through iUniverse and is available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble in paperback and in electronic form.



Jerry Woodbridge
awidowsheart@gmail.com

Trading My Sorrows Summary & Endorsements

There is a moment in each widow or widower’s life where a decision must be made. The choice is whether to trade her/his unexpected sorrows for the life of the past or embrace the future. “Yes, Lord!” This book offers multiple perspectives on widowhood. It is a collaborative effort that began with a small group of young widows that met for fellowship and encouragement over Thursday lunches. Our conversations ranged from how to cope with our grief to dealing with our own realities as single parents and unexpected widows. Jerry began to keep a journal, which lead her and Vickie to writing devotionals from a widow’s perspective. This project expanded as awareness arose of other widow and widowers who were open to sharing their stories of going through the mourning process. Healing began when we traded our stories with each other and found the joy of the Lord.

“Journals can help us remember the details of moments that framed our lives, and sometimes to help others with theirs. Jerry Woodbridge opens her life’s pages and affords us an articulate glimpse of hope for whatever comes our way.”


Jerry Pattengale, Executive Director of National Conversations, Assistant Provost, IWU

“An inspiring memoir of a widow’s journey through grief and how her strong christian faith guided her to find peace and strength in her sorrow.”

JoAnne Funch, Heartache To Healing

“Life can make us bitter or better. The writers of Trading My Sorrows have exchanged their grief for the Savior’s grace. In these pages, you too will find hope and help. Romans 8:28 is fleshed out in the lives of these fellow travelers and strugglers. Be encouraged to join them on the road to healing and a better life of usefulness.”

Chaplain John Wrightsman, Indiana Wesleyan University

“As a young widow myself, I am so excited about this book, especially as it affirms that we have a choice to continue dwelling in the pain or turning toward healing and living again. What Jerry has done with this book is refreshing and inspiring, offering hope to fellow widows as they experience their own journey from pain to renewal of living with loss and beyond.”

Michelle E. Vásquez, MS, LPC True Love Relationship Coaching